BILL NUMBER: AB 790 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 4, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 31, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Furutani and Carter
FEBRUARY 17, 2011
An act to add Sections 52372.7 and 52372.8 to the
Education Code, relating to pupil instruction. An act
to amend Section 58509 of, and to add and repeal Section 52372.7 of,
the Education Code, relating to career technical education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 790, as amended, Furutani. Pupil instruction
Career technical education : Multiple Pathway Pilot
Program.
(1) Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
to develop, in conjunction with specified persons and entities, a
report that explores the feasibility of expanding and establishing
career multiple pathway programs, as defined, in California.
This bill , commencing with the 2012-13 school year,
would establish the Multiple Pathway Pilot Program to be administered
by the State Department of Education according to specified
requirements for the purpose of implementing districtwide multiple
pathway learning approaches programs, as
defined, in all participating school districts. The bill would
authorize a school district that maintains grades 9 to 12, inclusive,
to apply to the Superintendent to operate a pilot program. The bill
would require the department to review these applications and would
authorize the Superintendent to initially approve up to 20
applications. The bill would require this application review and
approval to be conducted on a competitive basis with consideration
given to specified factors. The bill would require the Superintendent
to transmit a report to the Legislature and the Governor by
January 18, 2018 September 30, 2016 , that
makes specified evaluations and recommendations.
The bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2017,
and would repeal them as of January 1, 2018.
(2) Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school
district or a county board of education, on a districtwide or
countywide basis or on behalf of one or more of its schools or
programs, after a public hearing on the matter, to request the State
Board of Education to waive all or part of any statute in the
Education Code or any regulation adopted by the state board that
implements a provision of that code, except as specified.
(2) Existing law establishes alternative schools, as defined, and
authorizes the Superintendent, upon application of a school district,
to waive any provisions of the Education Code for the operation of
alternative schools, other than those specified.
This bill would additionally authorize the
Superintendent, upon application of a school district and for the
operation of a multiple pathway pilot program, to waive
any provisions of the Education Code, other than those specified.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) California is at a critical crossroads in terms of the
challenges it faces in reforming its public high school system.
(b) California is facing an unprecedented state funding gap and
will face continued fiscal problems in the future if it does not
produce an educated and career ready workforce.
(c) California must lead efforts to improve graduation rates,
close achievement and opportunity gaps, and prepare all pupils for
success in pursuing both living-wage careers and a variety of
postsecondary learning experiences.
(d) California must embrace new, innovative approaches to
educational transformation that are likely to lead to high successful
outcomes for our pupils, families, communities, and local and state
economies.
(e) The multiple pathway approach is one of the most promising
high school transformational strategies and can be expanded to play a
pivotal role in enabling all of our pupils to be well prepared for
life and workforce demands in a 21st century global economy and
society.
SEC. 2. Section 52372.7 is added to the Education Code, to read:
52372.7. (a) The Commencing with the
2012-13 school year, the Multiple Pathway Pilot Program is
hereby established for the purpose of implementing districtwide
multiple pathway learning approaches
programs, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 52372.5, in
all participating school districts.
(b) The pilot program shall be administered by the department and
shall contain all of the following requirements:
(1) Each participating school district shall incorporate
small-sized schools and smaller groupings of pupils within new and
existing high schools.
(2) Rigorous multiple pathway programs of study shall be
implemented that guide pupils through course sequences leading to
mastery of standards, high school graduation, and transition to
postsecondary education or employment. These programs of study shall
include career technical education courses as defined by the
California State Plan for Career Technical Education.
(3) Policies and agreements shall be adopted by participating
school districts that promote concurrent enrollment and dual credit
with community colleges and universities.
(4) Problem-based instructional methodologies, inquiry learning
approaches, and applied learning strategies shall be adopted within
all subject areas.
(5) Pupil progress through high school shall be determined by
mastery of grade-level standards-based performance benchmarks
developed by the participating school district.
(6) Multiple pathway programs shall be implemented by
participating school districts within the district's existing state
and local resources.
(7) Participating school districts shall involve local business,
labor, parent, and community partners to advise the district on the
development, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of the pilot
program.
(8) Participating school districts shall be eligible for waivers
pursuant to Section 52372.8 58509 to
more efficiently operate and adapt to the needs of pupils and
communities.
(9) Participating school districts shall receive priority for
appropriate competitive grant funding distributed by the department.
(c) (1) A school district that maintains grades 9 to 12,
inclusive, may apply to the Superintendent to operate a Multiple
Pathway Pilot Program in accordance with this section. The department
shall review these applications and the Superintendent may initially
approve up to 20 applications, and may approve additional
applications on an annual basis thereafter.
(2) The review and approval of applications pursuant to paragraph
(1) shall be conducted on a competitive basis and consideration shall
be given to factors related to the geographic diversity, type, and
size of a school district, and the extent to which a school district'
s pilot program would receive financial and in-kind support from the
business and civic community or funding from government or foundation
grants.
(d) On or before January 18, 2018, the Superintendent shall
transmit a report to the Legislature and the Governor that documents
an independent evaluation of the costs and merits of the pilot
program, and contains the Superintendent's recommendations regarding
the need for additional statutory changes to facilitate the statewide
expansion of the Multiple Pathway Pilot Program.
(d) (1) On or before September 30, 2016, the Superintendent shall
transmit a report to the Legislature and the Governor that documents
an independent evaluation that includes both of the following:
(A) The costs and merits of the pilot program, including pupil
outcome data that includes, but is not limited to, pupil dropout and
graduation rates, the number and percentage of participating pupils
who meet the requirements and prerequisites for admission to
California public institutions of postsecondary education, and
workforce outcome data, that may include the number or percentage of
pupils who earn a certificate, license, or the equivalent in a
designated occupation.
(B) The Superintendent's recommendations regarding the need for
additional statutory changes to facilitate the statewide expansion of
the Multiple Pathway Pilot Program, including information on any
waivers granted pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (b) and a
description of how the waivers facilitated the operation of multiple
pathway programs.
(2) A report submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(e) The Superintendent may develop regulations necessary to
implement the provisions of this section.
(f) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2017, and, as
of January 1, 2018, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2018, deletes or
extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 3. Section 52372.8 is added to the
Education Code, to read:
52372.8. For the operation of a multiple pathway program, as
defined in Section 52372.5, the Superintendent may, upon application
of a school district, waive any provisions of this code other than
those relating to earthquake safety and the provisions of this
chapter.
SEC. 3. Section 58509 of the Education
Code is amended to read:
58509. For the operation of alternative schools as herein
defined, or for the operation of multiple pathway programs
pursuant to the pilot program established in Section 52372.7,
the Superintendent of Public Instruction may, upon
application of a school district, waive any provisions of this code
other than Section 52372.7, those provisions
relating to earthquake safety , and the provisions of this
chapter.